Rue Meadow: That's My Name
by 27lablover
Summary: You all know who Rue is, but do you know who her sisters are? How she got her token? Here's the scoop on the magical wisp of a tribute in the 74th annual Hunger Games. (Hunger Games story entire POV of Rue)
1. That's My Name

The first thing I see when I open my eyes is my littlest sister, Iris, huddled up against me. It is reaping morning for the 74th annual Hunger Games and my little sister is scared. She isn't scared for her own life, but is scared for mine. It is my first year for the reaping and I already have my name put in five times. One is the one every twelve-year-old gets, but the other four are for terresae, a years supply of oil and grain for one person, in exchange for a name put in to the bowl. Like every kid in District 11, I am scared that I will be picked to go to the Capitol, to be made famous and live a life of luxury for a week and then to be locked into an arena with 23 other tributes to fight to the death. I know that if I'm picked, I won't survive. I'm small and weak and don't have many helpful talents except for some nature stuff. I would be up against people from other districts that are bigger, stronger, smarter, and a lot more likely to win than me. I put the thoughts aside and fall asleep again. I won't have to worry about the reaping until 2:00.

When I wake up again, everybody is still asleep except my 3rd youngest sister, Violet.

"Hey," I say, "Do you want to help me make breakfast?" She nods eagerly, her bushy, brown hair bouncing on her shoulders. We take some cornmeal and pour some goat milk in it. We make eight servings for the entire family. The next person who wakes up is Lily, my 2nd youngest sister. She sits down, tiredly, and eats her cornmeal mush. A few minutes later, Kaeya, my 4th youngest sister walks in and says good morning. Soon, my sister that was born a year after me walks in holding Iris's hand. "Good morning, Rose and Iris," says Violet. "Good morning," Rose replies. I hand Iris her breakfast and she sits down and eats. There is a silence between us for a while and then Iris starts telling Cyra about a caterpillar she saw the other day in the orchard. Father walks in and we all say good morning. He says he has business to do in town so he eats quickly, not talking much. A couple minutes after he leaves, my mother walks in. "Morning, girls" she says. When she passes me, she gives my shoulder a little squeeze. When she sits down, she catches Kaeya bugging Violet, and scolds, "Kaeya Meadow!" That's my last name, Meadow. Rue Lidia Meadow.

Unlike other districts, we are still required to work on reaping day. While Mother stays to get our outfits ready, Rose and I guide our sisters to the orchards. Climbing high in the trees is a family trait that we have received from our mother. We all split up into pairs like every day. I'm with Iris, Kaeya is with Violet, and Rose is with Lily. Iris and I go to an apple tree and I scurry around the high branches and throw down the fruit to Iris who catches them and puts them in the basket. It's a simple process and we're dismissed early to go home. Once there, I help Iris bathe and cleanse myself, too. Everybody has to look nice, if they qualify to be reaped or not. I put my hair into two bunches and slip on a slightly faded yellow dress that matches my gold-brown eyes. I examine myself in our cracked, dusty mirror. I turn around and find Iris struggling to put on a light lavender dress. I let out a soft laugh, "Need some help there little flower?" That's what my nickname for her is. Almost all of us are named after flowers, Iris, Violet, Rose, Lily, Rue. Kaeya is special. She was…different when she was born and we didn't think that she'd make it, but she did. Mother was so happy when she did, that she didn't just name her any flower; she named her Kaeya, which means monsoon flower. When I walk into the 2nd room in our house I see that Father is home and is helping Kaeya get ready. She is dressed in a slightly dirty white dress, Rose and Lily are in light pink dresses, and Violet is in a dress identical to Iris's. We eat a lunch similar to breakfast. "Well," says Father, "It's 1:45. We should head to town." We walk out the door and Iris suddenly yells, "Wait! I fowgot someting!" and dashes back inside. Iris is still 5 and talks a little different; just like any other five-year-old. She returns wearing a woven necklace that I made her when she was 3. I smile and wave her on.

When we get to town, I see that a crowd has already formed. I sign in and go to the roped off area for the twelve-year-old girls. My other sisters go with my parents to the family section. After a while, the mayor, District 11's mentors who are named Chaff and Seeder, and 11's escort, Tibithia, walk on to the stage. Tibithia does the usual introduction thing saying why we have the Hunger Games: "74 years ago, the districts of Panem rebelled against the Capitol; the districts lost and the Capitol made the Hunger Games, where they take 1 male tribute and 1 female tribute, in between the ages 12-18, from each district to go to the Capitol and become known and then fight to the death in an arena…on live television."

"Now," says Tibithia, "We pick our female tribute." She walks over to the right glass bowl and draws out a folded slip of paper. My heart pounds every time one of her feet make a step. My fingernails cut into my flesh as she unfolds the paper. I get extremely dizzy when her lips form the words, "Rue Meadow".

_That's my name. _


	2. Goodbye, District 11

I faintly hear Iris cry out. I take slow steps up to the stage. Each step, my breathing becomes more rapid. In…Out. In..Out. In. Out. In Out. Inout. Soon I'm almost to the hyperventilation. I force my self to take a deep breath as I walk up the stairs. My hands start shaking and I can't control them. My eyes seek my family. Almost all of my sisters are crying; Rose just stands there, shaking her head desperately. Tibithia gives me a huge Capitol smile, all teeth. I tremble; not only will she be escorting me to the Capitol; she'll be escorting me to my death. She moves on to the boys, "Thresh Rescotti." Oh no! Oh no no no no! Not Thresh! He's one of my few friends that aren't my sisters. Even though he's a 7-foot giant and is six years older, he's helped take care of me and my family. In the orchard that I work in, I'm not too far from him working in the fields. We communicate by whistling a three-note tune. He walks up to the stage and gives me a pained look. We shake hands and he gives mine a reassuring squeeze.

Tibithia leads us to separate rooms where we will say our goodbyes to our friends and family. As far as I know, Thresh has no one, but me and his grandmother. I stare out the window at District 11. Most people are celebrating not getting picked, but a few still have grim looks on their faces. The door behind me flies open and I jerk my head around. "Rue!" Iris shouts and jumps into my arms.

"It's okay Iris," I say, "Everything is going to be okay." She sobs on my beautiful yellow dress. I make her face me and smooth her hair back,

"Okay?" I whisper. She nods and hands me something, her necklace.

"Iris," I start.

"Please keep it," she says.

"Okay."

Violet attacks me next, "Rue, please don't go!" she pleads.

"I have to. I'm so sorry," I say. I give her a tight squeeze and a sad smile. I do this to all my other sisters and finally get to Rose.

"Rose," I say, "You have to take care of them, okay?"

"Promise," she replies tearfully. "You are the second oldest," I continue, "So I pass my responsibilities on to you."

She says, "Okay Rue, be careful please; for us." I nod. I turn my attention to my parents. They both pull me into a long hug and one by one, my sisters join in. We stay like that, in one large family hug. This reminds me of something. I did have another sibling, my older brother, Raloi. He died in the 70 Hunger Games, before Iris was born. We hugged him until he had to go. My family does the same to me now. The peacekeepers come in to lead them out. "I love you all!" I shout as the door closes and I hear a few cries of reply.

Tibithia takes us to the train that will deliver us to the Capitol. When we step in, it is like nothing I've ever seen. Brass doorknobs, beautiful crystal chandeliers, and shimmering jewels decorate the room. We sit down in the lush furniture and Tibithia tells us that Chaff and Seeder will be in soon. As soon as she leaves, Thresh turns to me.

"Rue," he says in his deep voice, "I am so sorry that this happened. I just…" His words trail off.

"It's okay, Thresh," I reply quietly, "It's not your fault." As I raise my gold-brown eyes to his, I add, "I hope you win."

"Rue," he says sadly, "That's no way to be thinking." He pulls me into a hug. Just as we sit down, Seeder and Chaff walk in. They introduce themselves and we shake hands; I make sure to shake Chaff's right hand, for his left one is gone. He lost it in the Games and for some reason, didn't get a Capitol replacement. Seeder's personality is warm and I like her right away.

"So," Seeder starts, "The other tributes are being announced on television." We make our way to another train car and sit on odd furniture that I've never seen. The seal of Panem lights up the screen and they start with District 1. Names: Glimmer and Gloss. District 2: Clove and Cato. I start to loose track and then flash in just in time to see District 10: Shalda and Yexan. I see myself get called up to stage and then Thresh. District 12: Katniss (volunteer) and Peeta. The seal shows again and then it's over. "Interesting mix," says Thresh. Seeder shrugs. She sees my expression and says, "Let's go to dinner, shall we?"

If I thought Capitol décor was unbelievable, I was nowhere close to being prepared for the food. There were potatoes, vegetables, entire roasted pigs, goats, and cattle, and much, much more. I gave myself small servings at different times so I wouldn't get sick. The food was so _good_ that it was hard to limit it. Then came dessert; mountains of gelatin, towering cakes, delicious chocolates, and things I couldn't even name. Afterwards, I felt like I would be sick. Thresh looked a little green as well. I quickly excuse myself and wander into another car. I have no idea where my room is, because the world is spinning. I eventually bump into a Capitol attendant who is slightly annoyed; "Lost?" he asks and shows me to my room. As soon as he leaves, I find a toilet and have a reunion with my dinner. Afterwards I feel so awful; I rinse out my mouth several times and take a shower, something that I have never once done before, because we have a tub in my family. I change into silk pajamas that I find in my room. I look in the mirror. Even though I've been cleaned, I still look like a wreck. I glance at my bed, a perfect place for a shaking body. I collapse onto it and let my head fall onto the pillow, a perfect place for crying eyes.


	3. Life on the Track

When I wake up, my eyes are red and puffy form crying so much. It must have let up sometime around 3:30 a.m. _What a great way to start the Games, _I think. I take, yet, another shower, washing the red from my eyes and the tears from my face. I have to stop this crying business or I'll appear weak. Of course, I am weak, like the delicate flower I was named for. Yet, ever since the reaping, I've had this newfound strength inside me and I intend on using it.

I put loose black pants and a silky gold tunic on. For a while, I have no idea what I'm supposed to do. Then, Tibithia knocks and calls me for breakfast. I have a vague idea of how to get to the dining car from last night. I slowly meander across the hallways and eventually find it. Thresh, Seeder, Chaff, and Tibithia are seated at the table. I sit down next to Tibithia and across from Seeder. "Good morning," I say quietly. "Why, good morning Miss Meadow!" Tibithia says in her high Capitol accent. Seeder suppresses a smile and gives me a wink. I smile back. A feast, much like the one from last night, is laid out before us. Eggs, bacon, sausages, hot cakes, and rolls galore. I don't eat a lot for the fear of getting sick again and Thresh does the same. Seeder notices this and gives us both a pill. "Go ahead and eat as much as you can hold and if you get sick, take the pill," she informs us.

"Thank you," I say and Thresh nods. She smiles again. I load up my plate and eat as much as I can. I feel my stomach starting to churn, swallow the pill, and wash it down with something called hot chocolate. Like Seeder said, it works immediately.

Chaff chuckles, "It doesn't take much for you to get sick," he says. "Very delicate!" he laughs loudly. Seeder slaps his arm and gives him a stern look.

"We should be arriving at the Capitol in 4 hours," says Tibithia. As I leave the car, Chaff's laughter still fills my ears. If people are going to think I'm delicate, I'm going to prove them wrong.

I spend 3 hours in my room. I lie down on my bed and get some sleep. I have recovered from last night, but I still am tired. When I wake up, I take out Iris's necklace from one of the drawers and trace my fingers over the weaves. I remember, whenever Iris was scared, she'd put this on. I feel pretty scared, so I slip it around my neck. I close my eyes and imagine that I am in the meadow in 11 with my sisters. I stay like that for 10 minutes and then set out to find Seeder. I find her in the observatory car alone.

"Hi, Seeder," I say.

"Hey, Rue," she replies, not taking her eyes off the scenery out the window.

"Can I ask you something?" I say.

"Sure thing," she says, eyes still glued.

"What is it like to be a mentor?" I ask for some reason. She turns to me.

"What?" she asks. I repeat what I said. "Well," she starts, "You know what I had to go through to be here." I nod. She continues, "I have to admit it's awful having to meet two wonderful children from my own district and then send them to slaughter." As she says this, her face grows dark and all the beauty leaves it. "It's even worse to have all the riches and food and then have all the people surrounding you in 11 to be living in poverty," she says. She then laughs a cruel laugh that doesn't seem to belong to her and finishes, "I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's not all it's supposed to be. Sometimes I feel like I just _shouldn't _have won." We don't talk for a moment and then she says, "But I did win and I am here to help you in any way I can."

"Thanks, Seeder," I say, "And for the record, I think you're doing a good job with it so far." Her warm personality returns and she gives me a smile.

"We better go find the others," she says. We explore the cars, looking for them. We find Thresh in his room, examining a bronze cuff on his hand. Chaff is in the bar car and Tibithia is in the room we watched the tributes last night, catching up on all the Capitol news. We gather in the unloading room. There's a small window and I climb up a few things quickly to get a view. I notice Seeder watching me and I put the suspicious thoughts away. The scenery outside is amazing, with majestic mountains and deep forests. A few minutes of this and then I see it: the Capitol, shining, glimmering, and gleaming. I get just a glimpse before we enter a tunnel. When we finally exit, there are cheering crowds everywhere. They see me and start to wave and cheer louder. Part of me wants to recoil, but I remember that, in the Games, if you need something, you can get sponsors to send you something, but the only way to get sponsors is to get people to like you. Instead of backing down, I straighten up and wave back. This makes them even more enthusiastic. I get the hang of it and even blow a kiss or two. This drives them crazy; _so gullible, _I think. I hop down and we exit the train. Capitol people swarm us, with their dyed skin, colorful hair, and freakish alterations. They hug me, touch my hair, and tell me how cute I am. I am a little frightened by their scary appearances but I tell them thank you and be polite. I don't want to flare up. I guess I may be small, but so is a rose and a rose has sharp thorns.


	4. Chariots and Laughter

Tibithia takes us to a place called the RemakeCenter. This is where we will meet our stylists and prep teams and prepare for the chariot parade tonight. Seeder and Chaff have told us not to resist what they do to you, no matter what. I go to one room and Thresh goes to another. My prep team comes in and introduce themselves. Hasex has light lavender skin and bright purple hair, Yaley has long fuchsia lashes and pumpkin-orange hair, and Tarew has overly-large lips and crimson locks. They are all quite freakish as they surround me, getting a good look at me. They wash my hair with a cool substance which makes it even softer than before. They scrub me down and soak me in oils and soaps until I'm absolutely clean, not an inch of grime left. They dry me off good and then put some light makeup on my face. As they leave, Yaley informs me that my stylist will be here in a few moments.

I sit on a table and swing my legs. I am wearing nothing but a thin paper robe. My stylist comes in and introduces himself as Kasul. He is not nearly as odd-looking as Hasex, Yaley, and Tarew; he has a normal tone of skin and shoulder length gray hair. His eyes are solid gold and the only alteration he has that doesn't make him look good is a tattoo on his forearm; it's a sword running through a rose. I don't really understand it, but I'm not going to ask. He reminds me about the parade and then helps me get my costume on; it's a light blue dress where the hem sticks out a bit. Over it, I wear overalls/ denim skirt and on my head, lay a wreath of silver branches, to show 11's main job, agriculture. I look in the mirror. "Do you like it?" asks Kasul.

"Oh, yes, Mr. Kasul," I say. "It's really quite lovely." He grins.

"Just call me Kasul, okay? No Mr." he says. I nod and he smiles even bigger. "You are just golden, honey!" he says, "I'm sure you'll make a big splash at the parade!" I say thank you and he takes me down to the lowest level of the RemakeCenter. It's like a huge stable of sorts and almost all the tribute pairs are down there. I find our chariot and stand next to the tan horses that will be pulling it. Thresh and his stylist shows up a few minutes later.

"Hey, you look nice," he whispers to me with a grin.

"Right back at you," I giggle. Thresh is wearing a plain, white shirt with overalls and, of course, he has the wreath of silver branches on his head. Kasul tells us to get on the chariot and await the doors opening. We follow the instructions. A few minutes later, the giant doors swing open and District 1's chariot gets the ball rolling. I hear Caesar Flickerman, master of ceremonies, commentating in the midst of all the cheering. Soon enough, our horses start trotting and we take off through the doors. I'm scared at first, because I have never done this sort of thing, but I figure, if I have enough balance to climb the thinnest branches on the highest trees at home, I can stay on this chariot. As few moments after our chariot ha had its glory, I hear the crowd grow even louder, screaming the names Katniss and Peeta. I even hear Caesar say, "Good Lord, what is that?" We're too fast to turn around and when I try, I nearly fall off! Once the chariots pull to a stop I turn around and see that District 12's tributes are on fire! Their jet-black jumpsuits are burning! It's probably fake flame, for it doesn't seem to be harming them in any way. I turn my attention to President Snow, our dictator; he gives the usual speech that no one really pays attention to because of the shining tributes that stand out in the darkness.

Once it's over, Tibithia takes us to the TrainingCenter, where we will be staying for the rest of our time in the Capitol. We go to the 11th floor in something called an elevator which can go up or down when you press a button. We clean up in our rooms, which are equivalent to the size of my house in 11. Seeder calls me in for a celebration dinner in the dining room. Once I get there, Seeder gives Thresh and I the pills again, although, this time, I will try to eat more before I take them so Chaff won't laugh at me again. Tibithia starts off the conversation by saying, "Well, if 12 hadn't been on fire, I guess you might have made a better impression." This gets me laughing really hard. "What?" asks Tibithia, "What is so funny?" I look up and her expression just makes me laugh even harder. Seeder starts laughing too and Chaff and Thresh even let out mere chuckles. It's just Tibithia, Kasul, and Thresh's stylist who sit there, puzzled. Tibithia folds her arms on her chest and sighs, "What?"

"I guess" I say in between giggles, "that we…just don't…say stuff like that…in 11!" We all burst out in laughter and Tibithia gives a little huff and excuses herself. The rest of us sit in amused silence for the rest of dinner, exchanging glances once in a while.

When I get to my bedroom I prepare to go to bed. As I'm lying there, the good mood leaves me, little by little. I remember why I am even here and I shed a single tear and fall asleep.


	5. Training

I wake up for the 2nd time as tribute. An avox, a criminal, whose tongue has been cut off, who now serves the tributes of the Hunger Games, has laid out an outfit for me. I shower, experimenting with the hundreds of buttons, until I get a luxurious experience. I put on the outfit; it's a gold tunic with comfy black pants and running shoes. Today is the first day of Training. We get three days to go to different survival stations to prepare for the Games. I head in to the dining room where I find the pill on my plate. I smile at Seeder, saying a silent "thank you". I eat even more than I did yesterday; I have to gain weight…and, again, I don't like Chaff laughing at me. It's really irritating. I eat bacon, sausage, eggs, fruit, toast, and hot cakes; a little bit of each really. I see Chaff smiling into his breakfast. I feel a small hint of pleasure and finish breakfast on a happy note. Seeder tells us to meet Tibithia at the "elevator" at 10. I go to my room and freshen up. I take my precious necklace from another safe drawer that I had put it in last night. I put it around my neck with pride.

Like we were told, Thresh and I meet Tibithia at the elevator at ten o'clock sharp. As we step in, Tibithia confidently presses the button that will take us below ground to start our training. As soon as we get out, someone tries to pin the number 11 on my back. I am alarmed and jerk around and the pin pricks into my flesh.  
"I am so sorry!" both the attendant and I exclaim the same time.

"It's okay," we say simultaneously. I laugh and turn around, allowing him to pin it. He smiles and says goodbye. I rub my back and turn my attention to the head trainer, who introduces herself as Atala. She ticks off the different stations that we can do and reminds us not to fight with the other tributes. I won't have to remember that; any tribute that fights with me will have me curled up in a ball before they even lay a finger on me. As soon as Atala dismisses us, I get the ball rolling with the fire-starting station; no one else bothers to come over, for they are too occupied with weapons. I stay there for about half an hour and master every technique to making a fire: flint, matches, and a magnifying glass (surprisingly, they will have those in the Games). After a while, I take a look at what the other tributes are working on; Katniss and Peeta are an insperatable team. They are at the knot-tying station and look like they're even having a _good _time! All of the Careers: Cato, Clove, Glimmer, Marvel, and the girl from 4, Dendra, are working with the weapons with ease. Thresh is also with them. I see the girl from 5 working on codes and things and 7 is actually trying at the edible plants station.

I get bored of making fires and head to the climbing station to stretch my legs. I scramble up and down the netting, swing from the ropes, and hope from a top of a wooden post to another. I see the girl from 1, Glimmer and the boy from 1, Marvel smirking at me. I read Marvel's lips, which say to Glimmer, "How cute." I scowl his way and he pretends to be intimidated. I decide to try something new; I go to a slingshot station and start firing. Glimmer has lost interest in me, but Marvel keeps watching me out of the corner of his eye. I hit the bulls-eye with the pebble every time. Of course, doing this might be useless, but if I had something different to fire…things might change. I see that 12 is over at the edible plants station, so I go join them quietly. I work silently and pass the test with out a sweat.

On the second day of training, I do something like I did yesterday. I do the obstacle course with ease, leaping over things, melting into shadows, and crouching down or jumping up to avoid things being fired at you. It's helpful and I'm very good at it. I notice some of the districts, where they work in factories and workshops, looking at my skills in envy. I try not to take pride, but it's hard. I may be small, but I'm more of a survivor than tributes _years_ older than me. After lunch, I start to follow Katniss and Peeta around, because I am starting to admire Katniss. I try watching some of her strategies at the survival stations. I even follow her to spear-throwing, where I've been seeing a lot of Marvel. This is where Peeta points me out. I freeze and do what I always do when I'm nervous, stand on tiptoe and extend my arms slightly at my sides. Peeta whispers something to Katniss and she says something harshly back. As they go back to throwing spears, I see her give me a sad look, like I remind her of something. I keep joining them in various stations from time to time. We never talk, just sit and practice. At dinner with 11's crew, we tell Chaff and Seeder about our day. After a couple of drinks, Chaff is absolutely useless, muttering to himself things that don't make even slight sense. For a while I'm distracted, thinking about home. Then, Thresh tells Seeder something that jerks me back to reality.

"The Careers asked me to make an alliance with them."

"Did they now?" Seeder asks. He nods. "What did you say," she asks.

"I said no," he replies.

"That's good," she says, "You can't trust the Careers." She turns to me, "I've been told you're pretty darn good at climbing around and doing the obstacle course.

"Yeah, I guess," I reply meekly. She smiles

"I can work with that," she confirms.

As soon as we're done with dinner, I return to my room. Tomorrow is private sessions and I'm very nervous. What should I show them? I remember how Seeder said that she could work with my climbing. I'll just let her take care of it; she is the mentor, after all.


	6. Temper, Temper

As soon as I wake, I take another luxurious shower. The warm water pounds against my body and my grogginess fades. I feel refreshed and wrap up in a fluffy towel, and as I leave the bathroom, I look in the mirror. I see that I have grown stronger, emotionally and... well physically. I have gained some weight and grown slightly taller. With that somewhat happy thought, I return to my room. As usual, there is an outfit set out for me. I guess the Avox has good taste, for today I wear a light coral blouse and the custom black pants. The new addition is brown leather boots in oppose to the usual running shoes. I walk to the dining room and set my shoulders back, hoping the weight gain will show. I know it's silly, but I'm still a little agitated about Chaff making fun of me. He was most likely drunk, now that I think of it, but I still can't help but try to show him. My self-esteem after the reaping was awful, but the strength that I have been feeling is growing every day I am a tribute. At the train stop, I compared myself to a rose, delicate and small, but with deadly thorns. What would my sisters think about the metaphor...my parents? They would probably like the use of flowers. I smile at the idea, as I walk in the door.

"What's got you smiling, girlie?" Chaff asks. It's obvious that he's been adding some liquer into his morning coffee.

"Uh, I-" I start.

"Good dream?" he continues, "Might be your last." Then he guffaws loudly. I feel my face getting red and the growing strength start to bubble up inside me.

"Oh, like you ever have good dreams!" I shout, "You're too drunk half the time to even _have _dreams!" He looks taken aback by this sudden outbust and I feel satisfaction. My pride soon turns to fear as he slowly rises from his chair. I realize no one else is in the room. He starts stumbling towards me and gets closer and closer as I back away, frightened.

"Thresh!" I hear Seeder shout from one of the other doorways.

"Don't you _ever _say another damn thing like that." he growls, slowly receding. He gives Seeder a glance and sulks off to his room. My heart beats and I don't move from the spot. I process what just happened... I stood up to Chaff! He must hate me now. I vaguely notice my hands trembling.

"Rue?" Seeder calls softly, "Rue, are you okay?" I nod, fighting back tears. No one has ever used that language directly to me. I've heard swears like everybody else, but it's scary to recieve them directly... especially from people like Chaff. Seeder strides towards me, takes my hand, and leads me to the table. "What happened?" she asks. I tell her about it and she says, "He's not always like that."

"I know," I reply, "I just couldn't help it. This _wave _of anger just washed over me and I just..." My sentence trails off. I feel so ashamed; tears starts to fall.

"Wave of anger," she repeats. I nod. "It's okay," she reassures, "I yell at Chaff all the time." She gives me a smile and grips my shoulder lightly. I nod again. "He won't even remember by the time he's sober again," she adds. Just as I'm wiping my tears away, Thresh and Tibithia walk in.

"What's going on?" Thresh asks. I hadn't noticed it, but when Chaff stood up at the table he knocked dishes down on the floor.

"Good day!" Tibithia exclaims, "What has happened in here?"

"Disagreement," says Seeder, "Nothing big. We've got it covered." Tibithia huffs and goes to fetch the Avoxes. Thresh plops down in a chair.

"Seriously, what happened?" Thresh says in a low, growling voice. I feel scared because he reminds me of Chaff right now. When neither of us answer, he says it louder. I look down in embarasment. He is about to shout it when I yell,

"Why do you care?" Just like Chaff, my flare-up takes him aback. Tears flood my eyes and I run to my room, almost knocking over Tibithia. I curl up on my bed wondering what is wrong with me. Why do I keep having these angry moments where I feel like hurting... no _killing _something. I wipe the thought from my mind and think about what I should do. I am to ashamed to return to the dining room, so I ask an Avox if I can have breakfast in my room. She leaves the room and returns with a tray full of foods from the dining table. I see no pills. I eat a lot anyway, for it helps me feel better. It is too late when I realize I've pushed my stomach's limits. I dash to the bathroom and retch consistantly into the toilet. My vomit mingles with my tears as I dispose of breakfast. I check the time and see that I have 30 minutes until I have to meet Tibithia at the elevator. I take another quick shower and change into the clothes I was previously wearing. I dig around in some of the drawers and find floss, toothpaste, hair brushes, and for some reason, a pack of saltine crackers. I open them and nibble on one. It helps calm my stomach.

Once I feel refreshed, I hurry to the elevator and get there just in time. I enter the small, moving room and stand awkwardly in a corner, avoiding eye contact. When we reach our destination, I quickly stride out without looking at anybody. I see that other tributes are already working at the stations. The time before lunch is a blur, I do the obstacle course, edible plants, knot-tying, and the slingshot stations. All of the tributes gather around one big table to await private sessions. I have no idea what I'm going to do for the Gamemakers. While I'm pondering this, Thresh gives me a note. Without looking at him, I read it.

Rue,

I wasn't that good of a mentor this morning and didn't get to tell you what to do. I've heard more than that you're just good at climbing; I've heard you're amazing. As your mentor, I suggest that that is what you do for the private sessions.

-S.

Well, that's convinient. I feel guilty for treating Thresh the way that I did; I catch his eye and nod. He nods back stiffly. I guess that he is still a little miffled about our argument of sorts. How could he not be? We've been friends for a long time and now we're acting like...enemies. I am saddened by this thought and make a mental note to be nicer.

By the time I turn my attention to the other tributes, I find that all but us, 10, and 12 are left. Soon, Shalda is called, followed by Yexan and I see that Katniss's face is relaxing. For a moment, I consider making an alliance, but then I realize, why would a tribute as powerful as her want to team up with _me_? I scold myself for thinking such a stupid thing. Soon a clear female voice calls, "Rue Meadow".

"Good luck," Thresh says awkwardly.

"You too," I say and walk through the doors. It is immediatly clear that the Gamemakers have been drinking. They look bored and annoyed and one Gamemaker calls out, "Proceed." I do.


	7. Sky High

The climbing station is where I go to first. A few Gamemakers are paying attention to me, but most are so engrossed in conversation that they barely realize I'm here. I swallow my anger and get to a good starting point. From there, I jump from thing to thing, my feet finding the smallest footholds and hands holding the most delicate grips. Some Gamemakers are nodding in approval and more heads are turning. Expressions on a few of their faces say "Oh, she might be a something slightly worthy of attention. Let's see what she's got." So, I increase my speed, gaining confidence and height. I must be a hundred feet in the air and when I look down, I can vaguely see some of them gaping at me. I give a little wave and prepare for my grand finale.

I see a soft mat on the floor and do something that a lot of people would consider suicide; I jump. While I'm falling, I even do a few flips for show, though I don't think that that will be necessary in the Games. I land on my feet and run to the obstacle station before my audience even has a chance to react. I jump over, dodge, and reflect things, using my new strength, and make my record time. I face the Gamemakers and give a little bow. I have all of their attention now and it looks as if they're still processing how I survived the fall much less did the obstacle course without flaw.

"Y-you are dismissed," stutters one, in shock.

"Um, thanks," I reply and walk out the door. As I walk out, Thresh walks in and I notice he looks nervous. Hmm, out of all the tributes _he's_ the one that's nervous? I shrug it off and take the elevator back to floor 11. I meander to my room, slightly bored and try to take a nap, but all I'm able to do is lie on my bed, stare at the ceiling and think about what is to come.

I wonder what kind of environment the arena will be. A forest…desert…jungle? The possibilities, unfortunately, are endless. All I can do now is worry for me and my family. I miss my sisters. They were my best friends at home…my consistent support and company. Whenever I needed them, they were there. Even though some of them are years younger than me they still make excellent friends. I sigh, remembering all the sweet memories we had together. I wonder if they miss me. Of course they do. They must, right? Or am I going to be just another Raloi; missed, but soon forgotten? I mean, they all have each other, right?

I stop torturing myself with these depressing thoughts and focus on what I can do in the meantime: prepare for interviews. I don't know if Seeder and Thresh will help us or that we will be on our own, so I'd better start getting ready, just in case. But before I even get the chance to think of a question, I am interrupted by Tibithia calling for dinner. "Yay," I mutter sarcastically under my breath and call back, "Coming!" As I hear her heels click away, I roll my eyes. Tibithia seems sweet, but, naturally, I despise all Capitol citizens. Sighing, I make my way to the dining room. I am surprised to see that Kasul and Thresh's stylist are sitting down next Tibithia and Thresh. I sit down in between Kasul and Seeder, keeping my distance from Chaff, and load my plate with the usual delicacies with a side of a pill.

"So," Seeder starts, "How do you think your sessions went? Did you get my note?'

"Yeah, I think it went okay." I reply rather sheepishly.

"Well, whatever she did sure stunned the Gamemakers into silence. They just kept looking from the ceiling to the floor, with puzzled expressions," Thresh adds, amused. I smile at him and he returns it, looking somewhat relieved. Seeder raised her eyebrows at me and says,

"Oh, really? I guess that's a little better than 'okay'." I shrug.

"Guess we'll find out tonight," I say.

"How about you Thresh?" grumbles Chaff, "Did you show them?"

"Umm, yeah, I did alright," he replies meekly.

"So we've got 'okay' and 'alright'?" she asks, smirking, "Now let's get into details. What did you do that was so 'alright'? What did they see that made you think it was 'okay'?" When we both shrug, she snorts, "Well, that's useful." Thresh is the first to get over his shyness.

"I showed them some of my, uh, combat skills," he offers. Seeder nods and looks to me.

"Well, I did some climbing…like you suggested," I say, but it comes out uncertainly.

"Okay," she says, "Let's go watch the results."

We head to the television room where they are airing the tributes training scores given by the judges. Like usual, they start with 1; Marvel: 10, Glimmer: 9; Cato: 10, Clove: 10. It's typical that all the Careers get higher scores. The rest of the scores go through quickly until we're to 10; Yexan: 5, Shalda: 6. Finally, we get to 11. Thresh's score is a 10. I'm not surprised; he's very good in combat. My name flashes on the screen and below it flashes my score:

_Seven._


	8. Interviewed

I lie down on my bed and think about what just happened. I got a seven in training! I got better scores than half the tributes that are older than me. Katniss got an 11, which was the highest score this year and Peeta got an 8. I think about Katniss and how much I admire her. She's smart, kind, and, according to her 11, _very _good. I wish that we could be allies, but what kind of person like her would ever want to team up with me? _You could be helpful _says a voice in my head, but my poor self-esteem powers over it. I fall asleep wondering how I could possibly stay alive for even 10 seconds in the Games.

When I wake up, I feel too lazy to take a shower, so I just put on some fresh clothes and walk to the dining room. Everybody but Thresh and Chaff are there and I'm wondering where they are. I say good morning to Tibithia and Seeder and sit down.

"So, what's on the agenda for today, Seeder?" I ask.

"We'll tonight are the interviews," she starts. Shoot! I forgot all about that last night. I didn't prepare! My thoughts must have shown through, because she smiled and said, "Don't worry. I'll train you a bit and so will Tibithia." I wonder what things _Tibithia _could teach me. Probably adequate things; if so, I'm in for a ride. A slow, boring one. But Seeder won't be so bad.

"Sounds good," I say, which isn't entirely lying.

"Okay," Seeder says, "Thresh is with Chaff right now, so you'll be with Tibithia." _Great. _After breakfast, I go with Tibithia to a medium sized room, slightly smaller than mine.

"Okay, Rue," Tibithia starts, "For 4 hours, we'll be covering posture, talking, manners, smiling, and _of course, _heels." Oh no. Than she squeels, "This is going to be so much _fun!_" Well, It isn't. She coaches me on how to sit up straight, but not like a board, talk in a genuinely sweet voice, say "please" and "thank you" when nessasary, and _of course, _successfully walk in heels, though I doubt I'll be wearing them. The heels are painful and this is when I get agitated. Fortunatly, I don't outburst and scream every foul thing I can, though at times I want to, and I make it through the four hours "nicely".

Finally, after lunch, I get to go work with Seeder.

"Well the first thing we need to think of is your angle for the interview," she says. When she sees my confusion, she explains, "Are you arrogant?"

"No," I reply.

"Provocative?"

"Definitely not."

"Deadly?"

"Yeah, totally," I reply, full of sarcasm.

"Okay, Smartie-Pants," Seeder laughs, "How about sly?"

"Nah."

"Enjoyable?"

"Maybe."

"Ooh, how about _magical_?"

"Magical?" I scoff.

"Yeah," Seeder replies, "like fairy-magical. Sweet. Cute."

"Okay," I say slowly. We work on being "magical" and it's clear I'm doing a good job. I feel more prepared and by the time Kasul comes to get me for pysical preparation, I'm ready for anything that comes my way.

Hasex, Yaley, and Tarew work tirelessly, rubbing me down, oiling me, applying make up on me, and making me shine. When I look in the mirror I see that my skin has a slight green tint to it and my eyeshadow is a light emerald shade.

"Wow," is all I can say. My prep team looks overjoyed that I'm pleased with it. They say goodbye and leave. Kasul comes in and greets me.

"You are just going to _love _your dress!" he cries. Kasul goes into another room and comes back with a dress bag. He smiles sheepishly and says, "Close your eyes." He slips the dress over me and I open my eyes. It's a knee-length, light green dress with puffed sleeves and little wings attatched to my back. Kasul adds two bows on each side of my head for a finishing touch. I look in the mirror again and all I can think is _magical. _I guess Seeder was right.

"It's perfect," I whisper, "Thank you, Kasul."

"No problem," he says, "Now let's get you to that interview!"

We meet the whole 11 crew at the elevator and my heart starts pounding. Can I do this? It doesn't matter anyway, because I have to do it. We go down to the interview place and take our seats. Caesar Flickerman gets the ball rolling with a few jokes and then Glimmer is up. She's wearing a _very _provocative dress and that's obviously her angle. The rest of the Careers go and then we're to 5. The girl, her name is Finch, is very confident and does well with her answers. Nothing else really stands out except Yexan trying to be tough. He doesn't do a very good job. I'm up next.

I walk on the stage quietly and smile a bit like Tibithia told me.

"Hello, Rue," Caesar greets and invites me to sit down. "So, tell me, young lady, what are some of your strong points?" he asks.

"Well, I'm a very good climber, and I'm pretty resourceful, too," I reply.

"Really? How so?"

"Umm, I know how to make fires, food, and shelter with very little supplies."

"Good skills to have in the Games," Caesar says, nodding.

"Yes, sir," I reply and he laughs.  
"No 'sir' if you'd please," he says, "We're just two friends here, having a nice, sweet chat." I nod. "So, what do you think will be your saving grace when you're being hunted?" he asks.

"Well I'm pretty fast," I say, "So, if you can't catch me, you can't kill me." He nods.

"That's good. Now, tell me about your training score. A seven is a big score for one so small."

"I guess the Gamemakers liked me," I say with a smile.

"I guess they did," he replies matter-of-factly. My buzzer goes off and I give a cute, little wave to the audience. I thank Caesar and walk off stage. Phew, I did it. I'm so glad it's over, though it just means I'm one step closer to slaughter. I sigh and absentmindedly watch Thresh's interview. His angle is sullen and hostile, which is not at all like him. His buzzer goes off and Katniss goes up. She is so beautiful in a dress that has so many jewels; it makes her appear on fire! She talks about her score, her outfits (even spinning), and her 12-year-old sister, Prim. I wonder if that's who I remind her of. Last is Peeta and he goes up on stage. Caesar and he joke around a bit and then get more serious. Caesar asks him if he has a girlfriend in 12 and he admits that he has a crush. He later says it's Katniss! Oh my goodness! The cameras focus on Katniss and she blushes and looks down. It must be so mortifying! Peeta and Caesar talk a little more and then Peeta sits down. Caesar wraps it up and we leave.

When we get off the elevator I wait around a little, because I feel like just standing there. A minute later, I hear a loud _thunk_ from above. Huh. That's District 12's floor. I wonder what happened. I then hear loud voices and I realize someone must have fell or something. I go to the dining room and find everyone waiting for me.

"You did great, Rue!" Tibithia cries, "Even though 12 did better, you did great!" _Gee, thanks._ I think.

Dinner is a blur and all I remember is Tibithia telling Thresh off for not sitting straight enough. I excused myself early and now lay in my bed thinking about what is to come tomorrow, when the gong sounds.


	9. The Gong's Ring

**Here's my latest chapter. I hope you enjoy. Reviews are warmly welcome!**

It's funny how whenever you dread something, time always speeds up. It's like the universe is plotting against you. That's what happens the morning of the beginning of the Games. I faintly remember Kasul and my prep team getting me ready for the last time. He makes sure I bring my token and then takes me into the catacomb under the arena. I say goodbye to my prep team and thank them. I really do appreciate them making me shine before…before my time comes. I had said goodbye to Thresh, Tibithia, Chaff, and, painfully, Seeder. She had told me that she believed in me. She gave me and big hug and tearfully left the room. Now I sit down in the catacomb, awaiting the hovercraft.

Then it appears, quicker than a groosling that wanders in the orchards back at home. A ladder drops down and when I climb it an electric current freezes me in place. In the hovercraft, a woman in a white "lab coat"I think they call it, tells me to hold still while she injects my tracker that will let the Gamemakers know where I am in the arena at all times. The injection is painful and I let out a sharp gasp.

"Thank you," the woman says and the ladder takes me back down to the ground. I wince and rub my forearm. _Ouch! _I think. Kasul takes me by the shoulder and takes me underground to await the start of the Games. I shower and eat breakfast. By the time it's 45 minutes until the starting gong, I'm trembling violently.

"Well," Kasul says, "Here's what you'll be wearing." He presents my outfit for the Games. It includes a pair of brown boots, some socks, black pants, black shirt, black hood-jacket, and a sturdy brown belt. This is all I will get easily, the rest, I'll have to fight for. I put on the clothes and calculate and measure a few things. The jacket is heat insulated; the Gamemakers must be planning on making it cold. The boots are soft, warm, and flexible, which means that they'll be good for running- especially when it's for your life. Kasul manages to get a little more food into me. For a while we just sit there in silence and then I ask him about his tattoo. "A long time ago," he tells me, face darkening, "I had a sister who I loved so much. She-she did something a little rebellious. She didn't really dress like a Capitol citizen; she looked just like you district people, no offense at all. Snow- he didn't like that. He took her away and… and-" he trails off. I nod. "So," he finishes, "That's why I have the sword running through the rose. Snow needs justice served to him."

"You shouldn't be talking like that!" I exclaim, then I whisper, "This place could be taped.

"What do I care?" he replies leaning back in his seat and letting out a sigh. Then his atmosphere changes; he radiates an aura of anger. "You have no idea what it's like!" he exclaims suddenly.

"Excuse me, but I'm from a district that you _Capitol people _take away innocent kids every year to be slaughtered!" I reply, filling my voice with venom. I think of my brother and grow suddenly sad, "Innocent kids like my brother."

"I had no idea, Rue. What was his name?" he says, calm now.

"Raloi," I whisper, barely audible. He winces. That year was terrible for my brother. He-he was killed at the hands of a District 1 tribute. I put my head in my hands, remembering the day when his cold, dead body came back home. I miss him so much. He used to call me Squealer, because that's what I'd always do whenever he'd pick me up and hoist me in the air. I always called him Loi, because I called him that from the beginning and never found a reason to stop. A clear female voice calls out "5 minutes until launch." My heart starts to race. _Five minutes? _I finger my necklace finding comfort in its familiar texture. I close my eyes and try to relax. "Three minutes." Breathe, Rue. "Two minutes." I do jumping jacks to help relieve stress. "One minute." I sit, hugging my knees to my chest. "Please enter launch tubes." I swallow and start to walk to the now open tube.

"Good luck, Rue," Kasul says behind me. I thank him without looking back and enter the tube.

The glass door slams shut behind me and I am in my own brief world. My pedestal that I stand on starts to rise rapidly, gaining speed as it goes up. I barely have time to process how different it is in comparison to the roomy elevator before I am temporarily blinded by the sudden light. When my vision clears I see that I am in a forest clearing, surrounded by a forest of apparently pine, oak, and elm. There are probably other various plants in there just waiting to be discovered so I have resources there, but now, I have to focus on getting something at the Cornucopia. There is a variety of supplies laid out before me and the other 24 tributes. If I leave my pedestal now, I'll most likely be blown to bits so I'll have to take off right when the opening gong sounds and hope I'm not to early. The countdown to the gong is 30 seconds now. I look around and locate a small pack that I'll easily be able to manage and looks like it has plenty of good content. 20 seconds now. I roll my shoulders to loosen them up. 10 seconds. I stance myself to run. 9, 8, 7,6,5,4,3,2,1. _Gong! _

I take off sprinting towards the pack. Many tributes are running much faster though and reach the general bounty before I do. Thankfully, nobody takes my pack so I stoop down, scoop it up along with a small knife that lies next to it, and turn, coming face-to-face with the boy from 7, Elmer I think, ax raised. I do the natural thing letting the possessing strength take over. I dodge his death blow and quickly implant the knife in his thigh, all the way down to the hilt, without blinking an eye. He falls to the ground, screaming in agony, ax next to him, long forgotten. I stare with my gold-brown eyes, terribly frightened by my acts.

"I'm so sorry," I whisper as I take the knife out of his thigh and stab it in his chest. His cries are muted and his flailing arms cease. I leave the knife there, not bearing to ever have it accompany me again, and take off with the pack into refuge.

**So, what do you think? How do you feel about Rue killing that guy? She isn't who you thought she was, is she? Don't worry, she won't be a savage. Again, reviews are warmly welcome.**


	10. VERY IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE

**VERY IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE!**

**Hey peeps! I'm sorry this isn't a chapter, I just started school so I'm kind of busy. Anyway, the point is THE GOVERNMENT IS THREATENING TO SHUT DOWN WEBSITES LIKE AND INCLUDING FANFICTION! This is totally injust considering that all we're using this website for is to express ideas and unleash imagination. We're not in it for the money! Are we?! **

**Now! WHOEVER AGREES that this is TOTALLY INJUST and NEEDS TO BE PUT TO A STOP, go to **

** .gov (slash) petition (slash) stop-sopa-2013 (slash) LMzMVrQF **

**THis is totally ridiculous and we have the RIGHT to express our creativity and share it with the world. Now who's with me? If you are, sign the petition RIGHT NOW! We have less 16,000 more to go until the deadline of September 21st. So spread the word! Post this on your profile, include it in your stories' author notes, PM people, or do anything you can think of. **

**Here's some info from the website:**

**_In 2012 the Online Privacy Act was brought forth to congress to be passed which would have negatively affected everyone on the internet as a whole. The people fought back and it never happened. Several times now since then it was revised under a different title with changes and tweaks to the wording to again try to get it to pass without the general public knowing about it. Each time it was found out, and then repealed._**

**_Here we are in 2013 and again dealing with a portion of SOPA, this time the streaming of copywritten works is at the forefront of this particular law to be. If a particular stream contains any copywritten material of any sort the uploader and creator of said content can be found guilty and automatically placed in prison for years on felony charges._**

**_Let's end this for good!_**

**You see? This is BAD NEWS! But we can help prevent it! Just go to the website, sign up, and sign that petition! Tell me in a review or a PM if you did it and I shall reward you with an extra long chapter if I get at least 15 people to do that. **

**So for the people who usually skip to the end instead of reading the whole thing, here's the bottom line:**

**GOVERNMENT MIGHT SHUT DOWN FANFICTION**

**YOU NEED TO HELP**

**SIGN THE PETITION AT THE WEBSITE ABOVE**

**REVIEW STATING THAT YOU SIGNED IT**

**IF I GET 15 REVIEWS LIKE THAT I WILL REWARD YOU**

**SPREAD THE WORD AND TELL OTHER PEOPLE**

**Got it?**

**#fanfictionforever**


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